German Red Prince

Page 26

The weather in Berlin has been bad lately, with continuous rain and the arrival of winter, making it feel very cold and damp.

The weather was nice that day, a bright and sunny day, but it was still bitterly cold.

People on the street hurried by, the cold preventing them from lingering for long.

However, on a street corner, a group of workers, still covered in dirt, stood neatly, holding red flags high, their nostrils and mouths spewing mist.

The leader took a deep drag of his cigarette, closed his eyes, and exhaled. He then turned to the workers and shouted, "Comrades! It's time to resist!"

The Berlin general strike has begun. Although Germany gained enormous war benefits after its victory in the war, the German economy has clearly begun to decline after reaching its peak in 1925.

Germany's financial sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, with a fragile banking system and stock market lacking regulation. Furthermore, there have been numerous stories of former penniless homeless individuals becoming overnight millionaires in the stock market.

This attracted wave after wave of enthusiasts to pour their money into the bottomless stock market.

The German economy appears calm on the surface, with the head of the German central bank consistently emphasizing its steady and positive trend. Various official German newspapers are also touting the robust vitality of the German economy. For example, the latest headline of the *Grossdeutsche Zeitung* reads, "Victory, yet another economic miracle!" In short, it's a win!

However, Reich Chancellor Tirpitz has recently been overwhelmed with economic problems and has had many arguments with the Kaiser, so he has used many methods to divert attention from the conflict.

For example, the recent Yangtze River incident in East Asia has led public opinion to portray the revolutionary government as a bloody, dictatorial terrorist group. Furthermore, the French government has been heavily criticized. The German Foreign Ministry, in its statements regarding the Yangtze River incident, repeatedly stated that the responsibility for this terrorist attack lay entirely with the French Commune government, which had caused countless innocent people in East Asia to live under dictatorial rule and placed the German people in the Far East in danger.

This indeed provoked the anger of nationalists within Germany. "Nationalism is the cure for all problems," Tirpitz famously said. However, it is also a double-edged sword; if used improperly, it could very well backfire.

For example, in the face of the Yangtze River incident, countless Germans began to criticize the East Asian revolutionary government. Anyone who dared to express even the slightest dissenting opinion was immediately accused of accepting 500,000 francs from the French Commune, reported, and thrown into jail.

The German tabloid offered only slight criticism of this extreme approach. It argued that judging a person's stance based on just a couple of sentences was too hasty, and called on the government to regulate this process, urging them to address economic problems and prevent further deterioration.

However, this behavior has aroused dissatisfaction among some people, who criticize it as "typical capitulationism," and some extremists even burned down the newspaper's office building.

Although such actions diverted some of the conflict, various forces that had been dormant since the war began to stir again.

During the Berlin general strike, workers marched to protest unjust treatment, while the leader slowly retreated into the crowd.

Sheriff York also learned of the news immediately.

"I bet it's some union pulling the strings again, taking the unruly workers out for a spin, then making us lock them up for a few days, and then making us go knocking on doors to get them to work properly," Sheriff York said with a hint of sarcasm. Who doesn't know that unions and the German government are in cahoots? Do they really think this is about protecting workers' rights?

"Sheriff! The army has gone!"

Suddenly a police officer came running in shouting, "Sir! The army has gone to suppress them! And they're armed!"

"What! The army is there!" Sheriff York's eyes widened as he stood up. "Quick! Get ahead of the army! Arrest them if you can, fight them if you can! Drive them back!"

After Chief Sheriff York finished speaking, he directed everyone to take action immediately. The nature of the situation changed once the army was involved. Once a conflict broke out, it would not be as simple as an ordinary demonstration; it would be a defection!

If a mutiny breaks out in Berlin, the consequences are predictable; the iron fist of Germany will not show much mercy to its own people.

He was a sheriff, not a cold-blooded animal. He knew most of the people here to some extent, and he couldn't just stand by and watch them be slaughtered.

Meanwhile, in another room, a person stood up in shock.

"What! Who started this?!"

Thallman was very surprised. Who did this? Why did they launch a major strike when the conditions were so unfavorable, and why did so many party cadres go?

"Chairman, it's Wester. He says this is your instruction," the person next to him quickly replied.

"Damn it! That traitor!" It should be noted that Thälmann had just returned from Britain, and he had not given any orders to the Berlin party organization before his return.

"Tell the comrades to evacuate immediately! Hurry! There's no time!" After giving the order, Thallman ran out. That damned Wissert! He had to stop this march as soon as possible!

Frankfurt

Thorne is naming his new newspaper. His KFC venture has made him a small fortune, giving him ample funds to pursue his grander ambitions. However, to attract more like-minded individuals, he needs to promote his views and gather them around him.

With two capable men like Adolf and Goebbels, this shouldn't be too difficult. After all, these two are terrifying propaganda machines with off-the-charts motivation. However, since they are currently in Berlin, Thorne can only rely on his own strength for the time being.

To commemorate his great mentor, Thorne named his newspaper the "Rheinische Zeitung." One might ask, "Teacher Thorne, won't your king be angry if you do this?"

There's no need to worry about that, because his outrageous ancestor was actually friends with his mentor! Thorne almost died on the spot after reading this. What a feudal remnant! He could actually be friends with his mentor!

But that's the truth. Although their class difference meant they couldn't stand together, they still cherished each other. Thorne knew that his ancestor must have used various modern concepts to fool his mentor, such as these "Charlemagne quotes".

The sayings "taking a step back is to take two steps forward" and "it doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat" are all examples of such ideas.

Therefore, despite their differing stances, their relationship remained exceptionally good. At Charlemagne's funeral, his mentor's eulogy, "To My Friend Charlemagne," stated: "From the Weser to the Rhine, millions of people have shown him respect, love, and mourning. And I can boldly say: he may have had many enemies, but he likely had no personal enemies. His illustrious name and achievements will live on forever!"

At the same time, the mentor also had a very good personal relationship with the then crown prince, King Charlemagne I, and the two were close friends. Charlemagne I's thinking was also deeply influenced by his mentor, which is why he was later known as the "Red Eagle".

It's fair to say that the royal family of the Kingdom of Rhine has been greatly influenced by their mentor, and they still maintain a good relationship with his descendants. Therefore, it's not a big deal that Thorne has such a somewhat "reactionary" name.

Since his ancestor was a plagiarist, Thorne no longer felt such a heavy burden, and he began serializing his first novel, "The Quiet Rhine," in the Rheinische Zeitung.

The strike in Berlin is underway, with countless people waving red flags and chanting slogans of worker unity and international solidarity. This has completely changed its nature, transforming from a simple strike into a political demonstration, which the empire absolutely cannot tolerate. The "red cancer" must be eradicated.

Thallman finally arrived and, seeing West retreating into the crowd, punched him to the ground.

"You have betrayed the working class! ***"

The revolutionaries in Germany faced the most difficult situation in the world. Located in the "stronghold of the reactionaries," they were besieged everywhere, and countless revolutionaries were killed. Thälmann had spent countless efforts to build this sizable revolutionary force, only to be betrayed by a traitor!

"Run! It's a trap!" Talman shouted from behind, but the already excited workers didn't hear him.

Sheriff York arrived with his officers, and his heart sank when he saw the scene. "Good heavens, have they all gone mad?!"

"Quickly! Confiscate their red flags! Drive them back!"

Sheriff York picked up a megaphone and began shouting. The officers started driving away the marching workers, trying to get rid of as many as possible, at least not letting them all die there.

Although the police officers delayed them for a while, the army still arrived. Seeing the army coming with rifles, Sheriff York quickly ran towards the workers' march and fired a shot into the air. The police officers also began firing shots into the air to drive away the marching workers.

"Quick! Run to KFC!" Sheriff York shouted to the scattering crowd.

Unlike the police, the military wasn't gentle; they opened fire on the crowd with their rifles, arresting people while driving around. The protesters ran chaotically toward KFC.

"What's going on outside?" Adolf heard something amiss and saw Sheriff York rushing in. "Quick! They're arresting people outside! Tell them to hide, to come inside!"

Adolf and Goebbels saw the crowd running towards their shop and the army chasing after them. "Quick! Unfurl the flag His Highness gave us!"

Before leaving, fearing something might happen, Thorne gave them the royal flag and the royal banner of the Kingdom of the Rhine. With these flags up, this place would be the territory of the Kingdom of the Rhine!

More and more people ran into the house, and the soldiers chasing behind, seeing the flag of the Kingdom of the Rhine, dared not rush in.

Sheriff York came out and pleaded with the soldiers, explaining that the workers had been misled and the organizers had fled when the police arrived. These were all workers; arresting them all would shut down the factory and cause losses. He asked the soldiers to handle the situation.

After listening, the leading officer thought for a moment, then waved his hand and went to arrest the other protesters who were still scattering and fleeing.

Even if we can't save everyone, we can at least save most of them. Sheriff York has done his best, and this is the best we can do.

Thälmann, who had run inside, overheard the conversation between the sheriff and Adolf, and was surprised to find that the Kingdom of Rhine actually had such a prince.

Their expansion in Berlin was too dangerous; they suffered a significant blow this time, losing many key officials. If this prince truly intends to do so, will he gain anything else in the Kingdom of the Rhine?

Thorne, who was working as a plagiarist in Frankfurt, was unaware that he was being targeted.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Stasi

The police took Thorne to the prison, which was gloomy and dark. The prisoners lay on their beds or leaned against the walls, watching Thorne walk in through small windows. Sunlight couldn't penetrate the prison, so it was very damp and cold.

The prison was dimly lit, with only flickering lights. At the end of the corridor, in a dark corner, was a closed room, a cage where the sun never shone. There was nothing to lean on except a chair. The floor was covered in sewage, and various instruments of torture hung on the walls, sending chills down one's spine.

"Your Highness!"

"The officer shouted," Thorne called out, and he looked up, his eyes narrowing into slits. He saw a middle-aged officer approaching, dressed in a crisp black uniform, the stars on his shoulders gleaming golden. The officer walked closer to Thorne, smiling, and said, "Do you remember me?"

"Eric?"

Thorne looked at the tall, smiling man in front of him. "Eric, I didn't expect you to be transferred here?"

"That's all thanks to Your Highness." Sheriff Eric bowed again. He had successfully handled the movie theater hostage situation and gained a lot of political capital.

"If it weren't for Your Highness's decisive command, I'd probably be dismissed and under investigation by now," Chief Inspector Eric said with a smile. "By the way, Your Highness, you must be very busy, right? Do you need my help?"

“Thank you, Sheriff Eric. I can handle it myself!” Rogers said, waving his hand.

Inside the cell, Felix and David were strapped to the interrogation chair, Thorne gripping the doorknob and looking at Thomas.

“Thomas, I need a strong intelligence organization. You’ll likely be dealing with a lot of troublesome people in the future, so start learning now.” With that, he pushed open the interrogation room door.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Thorne greeted them with a smile.

The two men looked at Thorne warily, exchanged a glance, and said nothing.

"Hey gentlemen, don't be so nervous, have something to eat."

Thorne brought out two plates laden with a sumptuous spread: hot coffee, bread, jam, sausage, and grilled steak, all emitting a wonderful aroma.

"The food in prison isn't good, and it's getting cold now, so come and have some coffee and something to eat."

Seeing that the two of them were still not speaking, but just staring at the food in front of them and swallowing their saliva, Thorne shrugged.

"Gentlemen, do you think I would poison this? Oh, if I wanted to kill you, would I need to poison you?"

After listening to Thorne's words, the two thought for a moment and realized there was nothing wrong with them. So they picked up their plates and started eating, quickly stuffing food into their mouths. They hadn't had a proper meal since they were locked up here; they had only had bread dipped in water every day.

"Don't rush, don't rush, eat slowly, we have plenty of time, and if it's not enough, there'll be more. We'll let you eat your fill today." Thorne smiled at the two of them.

The two people who were stuffing food into their mouths suddenly stopped and looked up at Thorne. Could this be their last meal?

Thorne noticed they had stopped and looked at them with feigned confusion. "What's wrong? Don't you like it? Should I have someone get you a different plate?"

Thorne hasn't interrogated them yet, which makes Felix and David a little uneasy. What is he trying to do?

Seeing that the two had stopped eating, Thorne clapped his hands and signaled for the plates to be cleared away. "Gentlemen, let's begin."

He ordered his men to lift Felix from his chair and drag him out of his cell.

“Mr. David, we’re the only ones left here.”

Thorne leaned back in his chair, staring at David, appearing very relaxed.

“I won’t tell, you can leave.” David was very determined, looking like he was ready to die.

"I didn't ask you anything," Thorne said, shrugging. A moment later, a man walked in and whispered something in Thorne's ear.

Thorne smiled slightly after hearing this.

“Continue the interrogation and see what else he has to say,” Thorne waved for the officers to leave, his eyes fixed on David’s face.

"Klaus Holmann, male, 35 years old, formerly a machine shop worker, lives in Darmstadt. His wife is a nurse who works at the town hospital."

“Your family’s financial situation isn’t very good, but a few months ago you suddenly made a small fortune, and you explained that it was money earned from stock trading.”

“There are three children in the family. The youngest daughter is named Arya, who is eight years old. She is in poor health and has tuberculosis, which is why your family is not doing well financially. Am I right, sir?”

"What are you going to do!" David panicked when he heard Thorne's words.

His family was his weakness. He only took the risk of joining the Unity of Germany party because he couldn't afford to treat his child's illness and participated in their activities, such as secretly distributing leaflets.

Because he was a worker, he was physically strong. That's why he was chosen for this movie theater hijacking, but he was caught by Thorne on his first field mission.

"What are you trying to do!" David struggled, trying to break free of the restraints binding him.

“Hey, hey, hey, relax, sir. Felix told us all this.”

Thorne looked at David with a hint of mockery, "Whoever tells the police what they want to know will be released immediately, but the other one will have to stay in jail for the other. Let's see who speaks first."

He pulled a coin from his pocket. "Sir, guess the coin and see if Felix will spill everything." Thorne then tossed the coin. "Heads, he'll tell you everything; tails, he'll remain silent. That's your chance."

David stared wide-eyed, breathing heavily as he watched the coin about to fall onto the table.

"Bang!" Thorne slammed his hand on the table, covering the coin and startling David.

"Oh, sir, I'm sorry, it's front view. Looks like you're out of luck."

While they were still talking, another police officer walked in and whispered something to Thorne.

Thorne's expression was complex after hearing this. He looked at David with sympathy and said, "Oh, what a pity, sir. Your daughter doesn't seem to be doing very well."

He sighed. "Our officers have checked, and it seems that after you were arrested, you became outcasts of the Unity of Germany party. Your wife doesn't have enough money to treat your youngest daughter, and she's in very bad shape."

Thorne looked indifferent, crossed his legs, and picked up the newspaper on the table to read.

“You still have a chance. Your organization has abandoned you, so why are you still working so hard? If you say something of value, I guarantee your daughter will receive proper treatment, and you will be released immediately to reunite with your wife and children.”

David began to struggle internally. Thorne saw that he was starting to waver. The time had come; it was time to end it.

Another police officer came over and handed Thorne a notebook. Thorne deliberately started flipping through it, nodding and smiling from time to time. Then he stood up and dusted himself off.

“Sir, Felix has told you everything. Do you have an important person locked up in prison? I’m going to interrogate him now. Good luck.” Thorne said to David, closing his notebook.

“Felix will be released soon, and you will take the punishment for him. You will spend ten years in prison, but you should know that you hijacked the movie theater, and coincidentally, a general’s daughter is in there too.”

"She was quite frightened, and the general is very angry, so be careful in prison, and don't let anything happen to you. But even if you are released in ten years, I reckon your daughter will be..."

Thorne didn't finish speaking before getting up and leaving.